---
title: Install Libreboot on Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF/MT (or 7020), or XE2 MT/SFF
x-toc-enable: true
...

**NOTE: Dell XE2 MT/SFF are also known to work, using the 9020 images. Same
motherboards as the 9020 and 7020.**

**[PLEASE READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE INSTALLING](ivy_has_common.md), OR
YOU MAY BRICK YOUR MACHINE!! - Please click the link and follow the instructions
there, before flashing. For posterity,
[here is the link again](ivy_has_common.md).**

<div class="specs">
<center>
<img tabindex=1 alt="Dell OptiPlex 9020" class="p" src="https://av.libreboot.org/9020/9020sff.jpg" /><span class="f"><img src="https://av.libreboot.org/9020/9020sff.jpg" /></span>
<img tabindex=1 alt="Dell OptiPlex 9020" class="p" src="https://av.libreboot.org/9020/9020sff_ports.jpg" /><span class="f"><img src="https://av.libreboot.org/9020/9020sff_ports.jpg" /></span>
<br/>
<img tabindex=1 alt="Dell OptiPlex 9020" class="p" src="https://av.libreboot.org/9020/9020sff_inside.jpg" /><span class="f"><img src="https://av.libreboot.org/9020/9020sff_inside.jpg" /></span>
<img tabindex=1 alt="Dell OptiPlex 9020" class="p" src="https://av.libreboot.org/9020/9020mt.jpg" /><span class="f"><img src="https://av.libreboot.org/9020/9020mt.jpg" /></span>
<br/>
<img tabindex=1 alt="Dell OptiPlex 9020" class="p" src="https://av.libreboot.org/9020/9020mt_ports.jpg" /><span class="f"><img src="https://av.libreboot.org/9020/9020mt_ports.jpg" /></span>
<img tabindex=1 alt="Dell OptiPlex 9020" class="p" src="https://av.libreboot.org/9020/9020mt_inside.jpg" /><span class="f"><img src="https://av.libreboot.org/9020/9020mt_inside.jpg" /></span>
</center>

| ***Specifications***       |                                                |
|----------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
| **Manufacturer**           | Dell                                           |
| **Name**                   | OptiPlex 9020 SFF/MT                                |
| **Variants**               | OptiPlex 9020 SFF/MT                                |
| **Chipset**                | Intel Q87 Express                                     |
| **CPU**                    | Intel Haswell                               |
| **Graphics**               | Intel HD Graphics |
| **Memory**                 | DDR3 DIMMs (max 32GB, 4x8GB)    |
| **Architecture**           | x86\_64                                         |
| **Original boot firmware** | Dell UEFI firmware                             |
| **Intel ME/AMD PSP**       | Present. Can be disabled with me\_cleaner.      |
| **Flash chip**             | 2x SOIC-8, 12MiB (8+4) (96Mbit)           |


```
W+: Works without vendor firmware; 
N: Doesn't work; 
W*: Works with vendor firmware; 
U: Untested; 
P+: Partially works; 
P*: Partially works with vendor firmware
?: UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME
```

| ***Features***                                    |    |
|---------------------------------------------------|----|
| **Internal flashing with original boot firmware** | W+ |
| **Display (if Intel GPU)**                        | W+ |
| **Display (discrete GPU, SeaBIOS payload only)**  | W* |
| **Audio**                                         | W+ |
| **RAM Init**                                      | W+ |

| ***Payloads supported***   |           |
|----------------------------|-----------|
| **GRUB (libgfxinit only)** | Works     |
| **SeaBIOS**                | Works     |
| **SeaBIOS with GRUB**      | Works     |
</div>

Open source BIOS/UEFI firmware
------------------------------

This document will teach you how to install Libreboot, on your
Dell OptiPlex 9020/7020 SFF/MT or XE2 SFF/MT desktop motherboard.
Libreboot is a [Free Software](https://writefreesoftware.org/learn) project
that replaces proprietary BIOS/UEFI firmware.

**Unavailable in Libreboot 20240126 or earlier. You must [compile from
source](../build/), or use a version newer than Libreboot 20240126**

Official information about this machine can be found here:
<https://i.dell.com/sites/doccontent/shared-content/data-sheets/en/Documents/optiplex-9020-micro-technical-spec-sheet.pdf>

ECC memory support
------------------

The 9020 MT/SFF do not have ECC memory support. However:

### Dell Precision T1700

The T1700 is a version of the same motherboard, but with ECC support. You
can flash the 9020 MT image on this board, and it will boot.

Please note however that the native raminit (libre raminit) provided by
Libreboot does not yet support ECC. You *may* be able to use ECC modules,
but you won't actually have functioning ECC.

ECC support currently requires `mrc.bin`, which is vendor firmware for raminit.
Libreboot removed this some time ago, instead favouring only the libre raminit.
Patches are welcome, otherwise you can use an older revision of Libreboot
with `mrc.bin` if you need ECC; it's unknown whether both the Haswell and
Broadwell MRC (the latter works on 9020 MT) both support ECC, so you'll just
have to try either. Otherwise, you might simply compile your own custom
coreboot configuration for this setup.

Libreboot's [binary blob reduction policy](../../news/policy.md) is very clear:
if a blob *can* be avoided, it must be avoided. Therefore, `mrc.bin` is avoided
since the libre raminit works pretty well these days (ECC notwithstanding).

Buy Libreboot preinstalled
--------------------------

You can buy this machine professionally serviced, with Libreboot preinstalled
and your choice of Linux/BSD system. Many upgrades are also available. See:

**Minifree now sells the Libreboot 3050 Micro, instead of the Libreboot
9020 SFF. See: <https://minifree.org/product/libreboot-3050-micro/>**

Sales are conducted to provide funding for the Libreboot project. Leah Rowe
who runs Minifree, is also Libreboot's founder and lead developer.

Patch
-----

Mate Kukri is the author of the original coreboot port. Thanks go to Kukri.
Kukri's patch is here:

<https://review.coreboot.org/c/coreboot/+/55232/31>

This patch, at this revision (patchset 31), is what Libreboot uses for this
port.

### QUBES: how to get it working

Qubes requires IOMMU to be turned on. Please now read the next section.
Qubes *WILL* work, if you configure Libreboot as directed below, but otherwise
it will fail by default. This is because Libreboot *disables the IOMMU by
default*, on this board.

### Graphics cards and IOMMU

IOMMU is buggy for some reason (we don't know why yet), when you plug in
a graphics card. The graphics card simply won't work. On some of them,
you can use the console but as soon as you start xorg/wayland, it will just b0rk.

Current Libreboot revisions *disable IOMMU by default*, on this board. The
coreboot code for initialising IOMMU was modified by the Libreboot project, to
make it a toggle. IOMMU works fine if you use only Intel graphics.

If you want to use IOMMU *with a graphics card*, you also can. Use this Linux
kernel option at boot:

	intel_iommu=enable,igfx_off

With the above option, IOMMU is enabled *except* for the Intel GPU. However,
Libreboot also *disables the Intel GPU* in coreboot, entirely, when a graphics
card is used. With the above option, it's possible that something like Qubes
may work, which requires an IOMMU to be turned on.

If you are using Intel graphics, and not a graphics card, you can ignore the
above, and instead fully turn on the IOMMU, without any special kernel options.

The way coreboot works is this: if vt-d is present on the CPU, it enables an
IOMMU, and only if vt-d is present. This is still the behaviour in Libreboot,
but Libreboot adds an additional check: if `iommu` is not set in nvram, it
defaults to on, but if it's set to disabled, then IOMMU is not initialised.

### Enable IOMMU

IOMMU is *disabled by default*, universally, on this board. You can turn it on,
by modifying the ROM image prior to flashing, or modifying it prior to
re-flashing.

On all other Haswell boards, LIbreboot enables IOMMU by default. To enable
it on the 9020, do this on your ROM:

	nvramtool -C libreboot.rom -w iommu=Enable

If you're using a graphics card, please make sure to read the above notes
about how to use IOMMU; specifically, the part that talks about Linux kernel
option `intel_iommu=enable,igfx_off`

Then flash the ROM image. You can find nvramtool
under `src/coreboot/default/util/nvramtool`. Do this in lbmk if you don't
already havse `src/coreboot/default/`:

	./mk -f coreboot default

Then do this:

	make -C src/coreboot/default/util/nvramtool

The binary `nvramtool` will then live in that directory. More information
available in [Libreboot build instructions](../build/). Information about
dumping/flashing the ROM can be found
in [Libreboot flashing instructions](../install/)
and [Libreboot external flashing instructions](../install/spi.md).

NOTE: If IOMMU is enabled, you can still use a graphics card, but you must
pass this on the Linux cmdline paramaters: `iommu=off` - or if you need
IOMMU (e.g. for Qubes), use `intel_iommu=enable,igfx_off` instead.

NOTE2: Libreboot uses a *static option table* on all boards that have nvram,
which is why you must use the `-C` option on your ROM, to change the static
table that is baked into it.

Here is an example of the type of errors we got when testing graphics cards
with IOMMU enabled:

<https://av.vimuser.org/error.jpg>

Make sure to configure your image accordingly.

### 7020 compatibility

7020/9020 MT each have the same motherboard. Flash the 9020 ROM from Libreboot
on your 7020, and it will work.

Ditto 7020/9020 SFF, it's the same motherboard. However, Libreboot provides
separate targets for MT and SFF.

### Build ROM image from source

For the **20 MT variant (7020 MT and 9020 MT):

	./mk -b coreboot dell9020mt_nri_12mb

For the **20 SFF variant (7020 SFF and 9020 SFF):

	./mk -b coreboot dell9020sff_nri_12mb

For the T1700 MT variant:

	./mk -b coreboot t1700mt_bmrc_12mb

For the T1700 SFF variant:

	./mk -b coreboot t1700sff_bmrc_12mb
	
It is important that you choose the right one. The MT variant is the full
MTX tower.

Installation
------------

### Insert binary files

If you're using a release ROM, please ensure that you've inserted extra firmware
required refer to the [guide](../install/ivy_has_common.md) for that. (failure
to adhere to this advice will result in a bricked machine)

Libreboot's build system automatically downloads and processes these files if
you build Libreboot from source, but the same logic that it uses must be re-run
if you're using a release image.

### Set MAC address

This platform uses an Intel Flash Descriptor, and defines an Intel GbE NVM
region. As such, release/build ROMs will contain the same MAC address. To
change the MAC address, please read [nvmutil documentation](../install/nvmutil.md).

### Flash a ROM image (software)

If you're already running Libreboot, and you don't have flash protection
turned on, [internal flashing](../install/) is possible.

Internal flashing can also be done with the original Dell BIOS, if the
SERVICE\_MODE jumper near the PCIe slots is installed. Before flashing,

	rmmod spi-intel-platform

needs to be run to prevent errors. Once Libreboot is installed, the
SERVICE\_MODE jumper can be removed.

**Note: The Dell BIOS can write EFI variables to flash when shutting
down, which could corrupt the newly flashed Libreboot ROM and render
the system unusable. To prevent this, after flashing internally from
the original Dell BIOS, remove power from the computer instead of
shutting it down normally. It's recommended to use a live USB instead
of the internal drive to prevent potential filesystem corruption.**

### Flash a ROM image (hardware)

**REMOVE all power sources and connectors from the machine, before doing this.
This is to prevent short circuiting and power surges while flashing.**

For general information, please refer to [25xx NOR flash
instructions](../install/spi.md) - that page refers to use of socketed flash.

There are two SOIC-8 chips. You can split up your 12MB ROM image
like so:

	dd if=libreboot.rom of=4mb.rom bs=1M skip=8
	dd if=libreboot.rom of=8mb.rom bs=1M count=8

The side cover comes off easily, and you can find the flash ICs next to the RAM.

Here's the SOIC8 ICs being flashed:

<img tabindex=1 alt="SOIC8 flash IC on 9020 SFF" style="max-width:35%" src="https://av.libreboot.org/9020/9020sff_flash1.jpg" /><span class="f"><img src="https://av.libreboot.org/9020/9020sff_flash1.jpg" /></span>
<img tabindex=1 alt="SOIC8 flash IC on 9020 SFF" style="max-width:35%" src="https://av.libreboot.org/9020/9020sff_flash2.jpg" /><span class="f"><img src="https://av.libreboot.org/9020/9020sff_flash2.jpg" /></span>

Enjoy!
